While some Koran celebrities want to enter the military service late in their life because they wish to prove their mettle in their professions before going on a small leave, several have fulfilled this duty towards their country before they became well-known stars. Here is a list of 10 Korean actors who completed their military service prior to becoming celebrities:
1. Park Seo Joon
It comes as a good news to the fans of this talented actor that he completed his military service before his first film. Yes, he embarked on his journey as a soldier when he was 19 years old. He then debuted in 2011 with the music video “I Remember”. After his first drama ”Dream High 2,” there was no looking back. At present, he has carved a niche for himself in the film industry and has become a household name, with astonishing projects like “Itaewon Class”, “Kill me, Heal me” etc.
2. Lee Kwang Soo
Lee Kwang Soo joined the military service after graduating from high school. After coming out of the military services, he worked as a model and then embarked on a journey towards becoming an actor. He appears prolific in “The Running Man” and is a regular face in K-Dramas.
3. Ryu Jun-Yeol
Here is another actor who completed his military service before starting his career as an actor. Only a few years of being out of the military were enough for him to unleash his acting prowess. “Reply 1988” was a film that gave him the much-needed recognition as an actor.
4. Jung Hae-In
This star fulfilled his dream of becoming an actor after being discharged from the military. He made every effort to fructify his dream, and now he has movies like “Something in the Rain” that speak volumes about his talent. As an amateur, his debut project was the TV series “Bride of the Century”.
5. Hwang In-Yeop
2017 was the year that witnessed the birth of this star in the Korean entertainment industry named Hwang In-yeop. He had completed his military service by the time he debuted as a model. Although he had plans of making his career as an actor at an older age, he successfully embarked into the industry, and his fans cannot be more grateful for this decision.
6. Ahn Jae-Hyun
Here is another star that made his debut as a model. However, unlike most others on this list, he decided to enter military service after commencing his career as a model. “My Love from the Star” was the movie that made him reach the epitome of success. Then onwards, there was no looking back for this talented actor.
7. Yoo Seung-Ho
This star began to be associated with the entertainment industry from a very young age. It would suffice if we say that he was already an established child star. Then there was a twist in his life when he joined the military service. After completing compulsory military service, he concentrated on his career again and made his presence felt in several hit K-dramas.
8. Yoon Kyun-Sang
This is another actor who finished his military service before becoming an actor. But do you know that he was a model before completing his military service? “Faith” was the project that introduced him to the industry after which he attracted attention towards himself in "Pinocchio".
9. Yoo Yeon-Seok
Here is a different story. Passionate fans of Korean films can never forget the 2003 film titled “Old Boy”. Yoo Yeon-seok impressed the audience with a small role in the film. Later, he made up his mind to join the military. After a long break from acting, he returned to the entertainment world. After that, he proved his mettle by demonstrating his talent in various K-dramas.
10. Kim Seon-Ho
“Good Manager” was the Korean television drama that marked Kim Seon-ho’s debut in the entertainment industry. He completed his stint with the military before his debut. Before appearing on the silver screen, he was associated with the stage and was seen in several plays. The television series “Start-Up” is his claim to fame.
